Closure shifts WWS to New Mexico oval
With the permanent closure of Arizona Speedway imminent, promoters of the 16th annual Keyser Manufacturing Wild West Shootout overnight announced that next year's six-race miniseries will move to Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park.
The Jan. 8-16 dates will remain the same for winter's Super Late Model, modified and B-mod event that moves to the state-of-the-art, 3/8-mile oval, between Las Cruces, N.M, and El Paso, Texas, that opened in 2019 (pictured).
“For the past five years Jonah Trussel and the staff at Arizona Speedway have been great to work with, and we enjoyed some fantastic racing there,” said Chris Kearns, the Wild West Shootout promoter. “Unfortunately, we were recently notified that the track would be closing. Our first choice for a new venue was Vado Speedway Park. What Royal Jones and his staff have built there is nothing short of spectacular. It’s just an incredible racing facility for fans, racers, and sponsors, and we are very honored to be able to take the Wild West Shootout there for its 16th year.”
The pandemic kept the track dark for all but one event in 2020 but is opening its 2021 season this weekend and will kick off 2022 with the Wild West Shootout. FK Rod Ends will be the track's title sponsor for the WWS week.
“I’ve always enjoyed the Wild West Shootout as both a fan and a racer, and now to have our racetrack hosting the event is really cool,” said Royal Jones, founder and owner of the Vado oval. “We’re very proud of our facilities and our track, and we’re looking forward to having racers and fans from across North America start their season by joining us for six races in nine days in January 2022.”
The Wild West Shootout carries $250,000 in prize money with events scheduled for Jan. 8-9, 12 and 14-16. Practices are scheduled for Jan. 7 and 11. More details will be announced at wildwestshootout.net.
Trussel announced Arizona Speedway's closure was forced by the Arizona State Land Department because the "noise it produces does not fit into their neighboring development plan." The Queen Creek, Ariz., track's final event is scheduled for April 3.
